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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. kick — in football
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. club — for dancing
  8. staff — employees
  9. wound — an injury
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for golf
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. club — a group
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — child
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. kid — to tease
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. race — humankind

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com